Long-term Tennis Participation and Health Outcomes: An Investigation of “Lifetime” Activities

Authors

Katherine E. Spring, Auburn UniversityFollow
Megan E. Holmes, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
JohnEric W. Smith, Mississippi State UniversityFollow

Abstract

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(7): 1251-1261, 2020. Lifetime sports, such as tennis, provide opportunities for participation throughout the lifespan and has been linked with lower risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression. The objective of this study was to consider the influence of chronic tennis participation on various parameters of health. Members of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) completed a survey consisting of questions from International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Satisfaction With Life Survey (SWLS), and specific tennis participation questions. Descriptive characteristics were calculated for all variables and a chi-squared analysis was used to compare prevalence of health variables of this sample and recent BRFSS data. Compared to the BRFSS greater proportion of study participants 45yrs and older frequently reported being in good or better health (χ²=7.946, p = 0.005); lower obesity rates (χ²=19.92, p = 0.0001); and a lower prevalence of heart disease than those of similar age who completed BRFSS (χ²= 8.759, p = 0.003). This study highlights the importance of activities that continue throughout the lifespan such as tennis.

Recommended Citation

Spring, Katherine E.; Holmes, Megan E.; and Smith, JohnEric W. (2020) "Long-term Tennis Participation and Health Outcomes: An Investigation of “Lifetime” Activities," International Journal of Exercise Science: Vol. 13 : Iss. 7, Pages 1251 - 1261.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijes/vol13/iss7/7